Back Home in Hillwood
by Monkish Otaku
Summary: Helga moves back to Hillwood after moving away at age 12. Rated PG just to be careful! The REAL chapter 5 is up 31605! After much deliberation, I'm back baby!
1. Storms in her Heart

Back home in Hillwood

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold! So stop bugging me!

Chapter one: Storms within her heart

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the children were all laughing and playing.

But for one girl, the gorgeous day was just like all the others in her life - dark and stormy.

As the blonde 16 year-old sat in the back of her parents' station wagon, she cringed at the negative thought that had been running through her mind for four years.

'_They probably don't miss me._' She thought bitterly.

".....Won't that be wonderful?" Her mother said, oblivious to her daughter's saddened state of mind.

"Honey?"

Still, the girl remained silent.

"Helga?"

She was thrown back into the backseat by her mom calling her.

"Huh? Oh, yeah mom?"

"What's the matter dear?"

Ever since Helga was 13, Her parents had become more attentive. They had realized that they had _two_ daughters, both with their own unique talents and gifts.

"What if.....what if no one misses me?" She replied sadly.

"Look Lil' Lady," Bob piped in. Now, 'Lil Lady' was a nick-name, a term of endearment that Helga had come to like. "You're a Pataki and Patakis-"

" 'Are loved, never hated.' I know, dad." Helga had heard this every single first day of school that she could quote the 'famous' speech word for word.

"That's right! So don't worry! All of your little friends miss you. Including the one with the Football-shaped head. Wait, what was his name?"

"Arnold, dad."

"Yeah! Arnold."

Helga smiled at the thought of seeing Arnold again, and for the first time since her parents said they were moving away from Hillwood, the storms in her heart subsided.

"I'm coming Arnold." She said quietly.

A/n: So? Good? Bad? Horrible? Let me know what you think! Pleeeeeeeaaaaaassssseeee?!?

--------Crazy4Christ--------


	2. She's Back? Yay!

Chapter two: She's back? Yea!

"Arnold! Gerald's here!" Yelled Arnold's father.

Arnold had finally found his parents when he was thirteen. He had won a trip to San Lorenzo (A/n: though I don't know why!) and he decided to follow his father's map that he had found in his father's journal. When they came back, they couldn't bear to take Arnold away from his friends so they stayed in the boardinghouse.

"Tell him to go away!" Arnold screamed back.

"I'm sorry Gerald, I don't know what's gotten into him lately."

"That's okay, I know how to fix it."

Gerald then walked up to Arnold's room against his friend's wishes.

"Arnold?" He pounded on his door.

"What? I thought I told you to go away!"

"Look, I thought I might tell you that I saw the family that's moving into the Pataki house and I thought you might want to come see them. Please Arnold?"

Silence.

"Well, if you're going to be that way, then I'll just tell your dad what you did in 9th grade."

Gerald saw the door swing open to reveal an annoyed Arnold.

"Don't you dare!"

"Are you coming then?"

Arnold pondered this for a minute.

"Alright, you leave me no choice. MR.-!"

He was stopped by Arnold slapping his hand over Gerald's mouth.

"If I go, do you promise not to tell my dad about that little incident from 9th grade?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." He said laying his right hand on his heart.

Arnold smiled evilly. "You will if you tell him!"

----------10 minutes later in front of the Pataki's house-----------

"So who are they?" Arnold asked.

"You'll see. And I promise that you'll like them."

Gerald knocked on the door.

Arnold was shocked out of his mind when a young girl his age answered the door. She was about 5"5' with long, flowing blonde hair, with two glamorously trimmed eyebrows and beautiful blue eyes.

"Helga? Is that you?"

"Yes it's me, who else?"

Without thinking, Arnold hugged her tightly.

"What a welcome!"

"Sorry. I'm just so excited to see you after four long years!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm glad to see you to."

"Really?"

"Yes Really."

"So, what happened to you all these years?"

"Well, my parents treat me better, Olga and I are a little closer and I miss Phoebe. Where is she?"

"She's coming in a few minutes, Helga." Gerald said.

"I can't wait to see her! You know, while we wait, why don't you guys come in and help me unpack?"

"I don't know," started Gerald.

"Sure we'll help you! Come on Gerald!"

The three walked up to Helga's room and proceeded to un pack her things when Arnold came across Helga's old pink bow that was now in a picture frame with a pink trim.

"You still have your bow! I've always liked that bow."

"I know." Helga said, thoughtfully.

"So why did you stop wearing it?"

"It was Olga's idea, I tried to tell her that I wanted to keep it but she said 'Now Baby Sister, I want you to look your age, not like a three year-old'. I tried to convince her but she just came up with a compromise – that picture frame."

"Gee, too bad."

"Helga honey, Phoebe's here!" She heard her mom yell from downstairs.

"Alright! I'll be right back guys!"

She ran down the stairs and into Phoebe's outstretched arms.

"I missed you sooo much Helga!" She said estaticly.

"I missed you too Pheebs! Come on up stairs and help us unpack!"

"Us? Who's us?"

The two girls ran up to Helga's room where Phoebe was surprised to see Arnold and Gerald unpacking Helga's things.

"Hey Phoebe!" The boys greeted her.

"Alright, alright! Less talk, more work! Come on let's go! Move it Move it! Move it!" Helga yelled.

"You haven't changed much, have you Helga?" Arnold asked her with a devilish grin on his face.

"Shut up Football-head or you won't live to see your next sunrise!" Helga replied smiling.

Yep, it was like old times, only better.

A/n: Am I doing good so far? Oh! And I promise that Arnold and Helga will have their little romance scene soon! TTFN!

--------Crazy4Christ----------


	3. Arnold and Phoebe's thoughts on Helga an...

Chapter three: Arnold and Phoebe's thoughts.

Arnold laid on his bed later that night and thought about all that had happened earlier that afternoon.

It was like the four had really bonded, like they had become closer in just the few hours he was there.

_'Wow! I can't believe that Helga's back after all those years! I can't believe how much she changed too! I can't wait to see her in school Monday!'_ He thought happily.

He was so involved in his thoughts that he didn't hear the dinner bell ring. Quite frankly, right then and there, he wouldn't have cared even if he starved to death.

"Arnold?" His father was calling him but he didn't really care.

There was a loud knock on his door followed by his dad saying something about daydreaming isn't healthy.

"Come on Arnold! Your mom made pizza for dinner!" Miles said, baiting the trap.

"Did you say mom made dinner?"

That did it.

"As long as Grandma didn't help with it, then I'm coming!" he said as he ran down practically knocking his dad down on the way. He loved his Grandmother, but he just didn't have the stomach for her food.

All through dinner, Arnold was silent. His father looked a bit worried about him.

"Son, what's wrong?" Miles asked with concern in his voice.

"Nothing. Every thing's honkey-dory. Why d'ya ask dad?"

"I'm just a little worried is all. I mean, first you walk around in a slump, then you yell at Gerald. It's just not like you to act that way."

"I know dad. But I'm fine now, really." '_Now that Helga's back...' _he thought to himself.

"Alright, as long as you're okay."

After dinner, Arnold walks up to his room and starts to finish (A/n: I love saying that! It sounds so funny!) his biology homework, but found it very hard to concentrate on it because a certain blonde girl was on his mind.

_'I'm so glad she's back. Maybe this time around, we'll become close friends. Then maybe best friends. Then maybe a couple.'_ he thought to himself. He proceeded to write the answer to question 10 down when it hit him. And it hit him hard.

_'Did I just say that I hope that me and Helga would_ _become a couple? Maybe there's more to my happiness than just seeing an old friend. Maybe...'_

He pondered this as he finished his homework and got ready for bed.

_'I guess....I guess that I'm in love with her.' _He thought to himself as he climbed into his bed.

"I'm in love." He suddenly felt strange. A good, happy kind of strange.

"I'm in love with Helga G. Pataki." At last, he felt content to say this about Helga.

Now he just needed to do one more thing - tell her how he feels and pray that she still feels the same.

--------Phoebe's house the next morning------

The teen Japanese girl was getting ready to spend the entire day with her old pal Helga and thinking about the events of yesterday.

_'I missed her so much! I'm glad I have my best friend back! _She thought to herself gleefully.

Even though she and Gerald had become close friends through the years, she missed having a girl she could talk to about her problems and share secrets with.

Like the one secret about how she was in love with Gerald.

And that was something she wasn't about to tell him. In fact, sometimes she wished he knew that she loved him.

"It's my fault,' she said quietly and sadly. "I'm too much of a coward to tell him I love him."

As with Arnold, she felt a strange, happy even wonderful feeling as she said this.

"Alright. I'm in love with Gerald Johansson." she said, reassuring herself. She now felt comfortable saying this about him and planned to tell him soon. Very soon.

As she walked to Helga's she bumped into her - literally. Apparently, Helga thought she should go to Phoebe's. When she had helped Helga up, she hugged her very tightly. Too tightly.

"Hi Helga!" she said as she practically squeezing the life out of her friend.

"Pheebs!" Helga gasped. "I.....can't........breathe!"

"Sorry! I guess I have four years of hugs built up!" the young girl said, cheerfully.

"Why? I thought you and Geraldo were an item now?"

Phoebe blushed red at Helga's comment, and Helga could tell she had hit a nerve.

"No, Helga, we're not." She said, the color in cheeks turning to a deeper shade of red as she said this.

_'Not yet.' _she added to herself.

"So, anyway, why are you so happy to see me?" Helga asked curiously. She still wondered why her friends missed her after all she put them through since pre-school.

"Because I missed you and having a best friend." Phoebe replied smiling at her long-lost friend.

"But isn't Gerald your new best friend?"

Phoebe shook her head

"Not really. I mean, we're close friends but not best friends. In order to be best friends, you have to what secrets they hide and vica-versa. Speaking of which, I haven't told you this yet, but I think I'm in love with Gerald." There. She finally said it. Now she waited to hear Helga's response.

Helga's answer was simple.

"Oh, I know Pheebs." She stated matter-of-factly.

Phoebe wasn't all that shocked. She thought that maybe the looks she gave Gerald while hanging out with Helga, were so obvious that she had noticed them.

"Well, now that that's off my chest, how 'bout we get some ice-cream down at Slaussns?"

"Sure!" Helga said with a smile stretching ear-to-ear "I can't wait to see if the place has changed!"

The two walked off joyously as Phoebe said "I'm glad you're back Helga."

"Me too, Pheebs. Me too."

A/n: I hope I improved my lack of description. I'm helping my sister with a story and telling her to describes things like this or describe things like that and I guess I'm all described out! Please Read and Review!

-----Crazt4Christ------


	4. Lila's Plan

Lila's Plan

The rest of the weekend was spent exactly like this: Arnold thinking about Helga while Gerald (who just thought he was thinking of Lila) tried to snap him out of it, Helga and Phoebe talking and laughing about 'the old days' and planning how Phoebe would tell Gerald she loved him.

They all had fun that weekend.

Except Helga was still wondering why Arnold missed her so much (Looks like Helga caught Arnold's denseness! Must be because she kissed him too many times!). In fact, that's what she was thinking Sunday night as she laid down in her bed.

'I was so mean to him all those years.'

She smacked herself on the forehead at that thought. This was definitely something that she didn't want to remind herself of. 'Well, I _am_ treating him better this time around.' She thought as she drifted off into dreamland.

---------------------------------------------------The Next Morning------------------------------------------------------

Contradictory to the beautiful sunny days Hillwood was graced with during the weekend, today it was storming, and Helga absolutely despised storms. There was just something she didn't like about them - especially if she had to walk in them.

"Oh c'mon Helga ole girl,' she coached herself 'It's just a lil' storm! Helga Geraldine Pataki is NOT afraid of storms!'

"She is when there's lightning." She chuckled.

She finished eating her breakfast, cleaned up and headed to the front door with her backpack slung over shoulder. She only stopped for a moment to pick up her purple umbrella (thought it was going to pink, didn't ya?) and to give her self one last pep-talk. "Well, here it goes . . ." she said as she reached for the door knob.

She opened the door to find Arnold walking up her steps.

"H-hi Helga." He greeted her shyly. He wasn't quite sure if his explanation was good enough but he thought it was worth a shot.

"Arnold? What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Well, I-I remembered that you don't like walking out in storms so-so I thought that maybe we could go to school in my car." Stammered a now somewhat wet Arnold.

"Thanks Arnold." Helga said, smiling sweetly.

Arnold stared at her at her for a moment. 'She really has changed!' he thought.

Helga quickly picked this up.

"Are we going to school, or would you prefer to stare at me like an idiot all day?"

Arnold grinned as he said "Stand here and stare at you like an idiot all day."

Helga blushed at his words, as did Arnold once he realized what he said.

"Oh . . .come on Football-head! Move your butt!" She yelled as she pushed him down the steps. "We're going to be late if you don't put a little wiggle in it!"

-------------------------------------------------------At School--------------------------------------------------------------

The ride to school was quiet except the thunder that rolled outside Arnold's little, red , rickety Geo (my Youth Pastor has this kind of car, it's an inside joke I guess.) When Arnold had pulled up and parked at Hillwood high, Helga tried to find the handle to her side of the car. "Hey Arnold," she said, irritably. "Where's the handle to the door? I can't find it." Arnold looked embarrassed as he answered, "That's because there isn't one."

What do you mean there isn't one?!?" She screamed.

"Helga, Helga, Helga. That's the beauty of this car," He explained as he got of the car and walked to Helga's side. "It forces one to be a gentleman." He finished as he opened up her door.

"You know what you need Arnoldo?" She asked as she stepped out of the car.

"What?"

"A new car!"

Just as Arnold opened his mouth to retaliate, Helga had already run up the steps of the school.

"Hurry up Arnold!" She yelled over the noise of the students talking. "Don't just stand there with your mouth agape, let's go!"

As they walked into the school, Helga could feel that a lot of fingers pointing at her and she could hear people whispering and talking. They were saying things like "Who's the new girl?" and "I used to go to elementary school with her."

Helga was a little scared, after all, most of the kids at the school she was awfully mean to in Pre-K through 7th grade "Arnold, are you sure that things will go well?"

"Well with what?"

"Things here."

"Sure they will be! Once they all know how much you've changed, they'll love you!" he said comfortingly.

She brightened up at his words.

"Thanks Arnold!" She kissed him quickly on the cheek and ran off to find her first class - and to find Phoebe.

Arnold stood there stunned as he watched Helga run off. He stood there with his hand on the cheek that Helga had kissed. He suddenly got his half-lidded, love-sick look that he was famous for.

Helga found Phoebe soon, leaning against a locker and talking with Gerald.

'Maybe she's making a date with him . . .' Helga thought as she walked to her friends.

"Alright, see you Friday Gerald!" Phoebe yelled over the students as Gerald walked off.

"So, Pheebs," Helga said with a mischievous grin "What are you doing with Gerald Friday?"

"Oh, hi Helga. Nothing much, just a movie and maybe ice-cream at Sluessan's (A/n: I have no clue how to spell it!) afterwards." She replied smiling thoughtfully.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Tell him what?" She asked playing dumb.

"Don't play dumb with me! Are you going to tell him," She lowered her voice so others couldn't hear Phoebe's little secret. "That you love him?"

Phoebe smiled and said "Maybe." She thought this over than snapped back to school mode. "Let's go Helga! We might be late!"

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming!"

The two ran off to their first class which, incidently, they had together.

-------------------------------------------------------------Lunch------------------------------------------------------------

The cafeteria was about as loud as the thunder that boomed outside. The students were hurrying to grab their lunches while talking about Helga.

"Helga?" A female voice said from behind Helga.

She turned around to see Lila standing behind her smiling that same Lila smile she remembered from 7th grade.

"Lila? Hi!" Helga hugged her and smiled.

"What are you doing here? When did you get here? Why are you here?" Lila asked excitedly.

"I moved back. I got here Friday. My dad decided to move back to the head of his chain."

"That's great! Rhonda! Come here! Helga's back!"

Helga saw Rhonda, the fashion freak came running up to her and Lila. She could tell that Rhonda was still the same from what she wore. Rhonda was wearing a small shirt that showed her mid-riff with a heart on it and a mini-skirt.

"Well, well," Rhonda began, in her same snobby voice Helga remembered. "If it isn't the fashion-impaired Helga."

"Nice to see you too Rhonda." Helga said sarcastically.

Lila all of a sudden started jumping up and down excitedly.

"Settle down Lila!" Rhonda yelled. "Why are you jumping like a moron?"

"I think we should give Helga a welcome home party!" She squealed.

"You don't have to, really." Helga said, while grabbing a tray.

"I agree," Rhonda replied. "We don't have to give her a party . . . EVER!"

"Oh but I oh s - I mean, I insist." Lila said. She had stopped herself before she said 'oh-so'. It was a habit she was trying to break.

"Well, alright. When will it be?" Asked Helga as she picked up an apple.

"This Friday. Rhonda, you'll help me."

"Oh . . . okay." She said giving up. "But only because I like planning parties."

"Alright, it's settled then.

Helga thought it was strange that Lila, a girl she was so mean to, would plan a party to welcome her back home. One part of her was suspicious and the other part of her told her Lila was just being, well, Lila.

'I guess I'll find out Friday . . .' she thought to herself.

A/n: Did I fix my little descriptive problem? I hope so, it took me forever to write this chapter! See ya!

—Crazy4Christ---


	5. The Party Part 1: Preparations and Plans

A/N: I know, I said it would be out on the first, but I had allot of things to do in this little world we live in. But here it is, the next installment. And might I add, I think it's the best chapter yet! And a note about the phone call in this chapter, Arnold took the bus and was home sooner than Helga. No matter how fast she can run, she can't out run a bus. And I know that guys probably wouldn't have a full length mirror in their rooms, but for the sake of this chapter Arnold does, kay? Good. Another note, I know that I said my mom won't allow me to post on but I'll be 18 in less than 6 months and she probably won't find out about it till then anyway. I know it sounds disrespectful, and normally I listen to my mother, but she really needs to stop watching news and Law And Order: SVU. It's just making her freak on everybody.

In the words of my favorite super-hero, I'M BACK!

The Party

* * *

The rest of the week carried on as usual. School, homework, school, homework and so on. Finally, Friday came and all the students of Hillwood High were a buzz with excitement over Rhonda and Lila's welcome home party for Helga.

Rhonda had tried to persuade Lila that Helga needed a lesson, but the friendly auburn-haired girl wouldn't hear of it. She knew that even though Helga hadn't been the nicest to people around her (Including herself, even though the former bully had confided in Lila once about her love for a certain football-head), she deserved to be treated like a human being. Like anyone else. _And I'm going to start by making sure her dreams come true. _Lila thought while almost squealing with excitement.

* * *

After school, Helga rushed home, literally sending up a cloud of dust. She would have taken the bus on a normal day, but she had to have time by herself to clear her mind. And the bus was just too noisy for her to think.

When she reached her house it took but a second to throw her bag and jacket on the floor just inside the door and start running up the stairs.

_**Bring! Bring!**_

Helga let an angry growl and jogged over to the phone. Being the only one home at the moment, she was forced to pause in her preparations for that night to answer the phone.

"Look, whoever this is, we're not interested!" She yelled into the receiver, hoping if she was nasty enough, the person on the other end would become scared of the young girl and drop the phone and run.

"Ouch, Helga! Calm, down. It's just me; Arnold." The football-headed teen boy replied. _Wonder what's up with her? _The boy wondered to himself, all the while smiling.

"Oh, Arnold. I'm sorry. You just caught me at a bad time is all." She apologized to him. She could feel her heart skipping faster as she talked to him. "Do you need something, or did you just call for no reason but to talk? What's your deal?"

"I, uh, just wanted to ask if you would like to, um, (gulp) go to the party with me?" The blonde teenage boy nervously asked.

Helga wanted to laugh, cry and jump in the air and land on cloud.

"Helga?" Arnold called her. "Helga, you there?"

It seemed like Helga was lost to the real world forever, and would live in her daydream for just as long, when Arnold called her name once more and she snapped herself awake. "Um, sure." She replied, but her dreamy facial expressions were the same.

"Great! I'll pick you up around seven. Is that okay?"

"No (sigh) problem."

"Okay . . . Well . . . see you then. Bye."

"Yeah, bye." Helga said as she slowly hung up the phone. The girl looked like she had just seen a glimpse of Heaven. Suddenly, she slapped herself as if to wake herself up from a dream. "What am standing around for! I've only got a few hours!" She then bounded up the stairs leading to her room, not to be seen again until she was ready at seven o'clock.

* * *

Arnold spent most of his time in his room inspecting his closet, tossing out some outfits, trying them on, then tossing them back on the floor. Arnold was normally a rather neat person, but he was much too excited about tonight. "Tonight's the night I tell her," he said to his room. "But how I'm going to tell her is an entirely different story." He pulled some clothes out of his dresser and put them on. After he was dressed, he looked himself over in the mirror. "Not bad. I think this is the right outfit." He had decided on a pair of blue jeans, a plain white tee-shirt, and a blue checkered button-up shirt that he left open, revealing the tee-shirt underneath it.

Not moving from his mirror, he started formulating a speech in his mind. When he thought he found the perfect words to say, he opened his mouth to talk. "I'll just be straight forward. I'll just tell her 'I love you', exactly like that."

"Alright, who's the girl?" A voice from the doorway suddenly said, startling and making him jump around to face his door. He saw who it was - it was Gerald, and he was grinning like best friends do when they find something out that's juicy. Arnold felt his face turn beet-red in embarrassment, and tried to think of a good lie. "Come one, who is it?" Gerald pushed the subject further.

Arnold averted his eyes to the floor and whispered "It's Helga."

Gerald put his hand to his ear and, still smiling like the dickens, asked: "Excuse me? Did I just hear you say that you love Helga?"

With his head still down, Arnold sheepishly shook it.

Gerald was none-the-less shocked. He stood there, mouth hanging wide open in pure horror. Soon after he fainted, landing with a thud on the floor. After Arnold had splashed a cup of water that he had grabbed from the bathroom unto Gerald's face, the boy started laughing, much to Arnold's confusion. "What's so funny?" he asked his friend. "You-You did say (ha ha!) Helga, right?"

"Yes, Gerald." He replied, rolling his eyes. Gerald was his best friend, but at times like this, he wished Gerald's mouth came with an off button.

"(HA HA!) Helga G. Pataki?"

"Yes Gerald! Why is that so funny!" Arnold paretically yelled at his dear friend.

"I'm just kidding, man. Don't get your shorts in a knot." He quickly shifted to serious mode. "Now, we need to work on your 'speech' before you head off to that party . . ."

* * *

Helga looked up at the clock from where she sat in the family's trophy room. 6:55. She stood up and started pacing back and forth in the trophy adorned room. Her parent's had a date (shudder) and she was left by herself to wait for Arnold.

Unlike the trophy room from when she was younger, this one had a minimal amount of Olga's achievements and more of the rest of the family. Each member had a section of wall completely meant for that person's ribbons and awards and such. Admittedly, Olga _did_ have a lot more than anyone in the family, but most of her things were with her in her apartment as the Pataki's didn't know what to do with them.

Helga glanced at the clock again. 7:05. She could feel her anger rise up inside her, and did her best to hold in. _Where is he?_

_**Ding! Dong!**_

Helga popped her head up at the sudden sound of the doorbell. She quickly adjusted her skirt and just about ran to the door, but stopping to make an adjustment on her hair before she opened the door to reveal . . .

a crying Phoebe.

"Phoebe? What are you doing here? I thought you had a date with Gerald?"

"I (sniff) did . . . he-he didn't show!"

Just then, a beat-up, red Geo pulled up to the curb. Out came Arnold from the driver's side door and Gerald from the passenger side window. The girls on the porch instantly turned their frowns into thousand-watt smiles.

Gerald was smiling as he walked up to the steps where Phoebe was but his confident, happy grin was replaced by a look of worry. "Phoebe? Are you okay?" He reached out and gently wiped a tear away from her face.

"When you didn't show, I thought . . . I-I thought . . ."

"Baby, I wouldn't stand you up like that. I tried calling you, but you must've already left. I'm really sorry, but I had to help Arnold with a matter of the heart." Gerald calmly (and rather quietly) explained. "Are we cool?" He asked her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Phoebe smiled and replied, "Yes, we are very cool."

"Ahem!" Helga declared suddenly, making the hugging pair break apart. "Excuse me for interrupting a 'sweet moment', but Arnold and I have a party to go to, and you two are supposed to be on a date!"

To Gerald and Phoebe's surprise, neither one thought to correct Helga on her statement about their "Date".

Moments later, Helga started shoving the two "Friends" down off her stoop and down the street. Soon after, Helga jumped into Arnold's car and honked the horn. "Come on Arnold-o! We're gonna be late!"

* * *

Rhonda examined the gym. She had to admit, even though Lila had forced her to rent the school's gym, it was . . . okay. The streamers and banners that beautified the walls and ceiling were bold and colorful. Though pink was the dominant color in all the decorations. Including the balloons that were in groups of three, tied down by pink weights. There were even more balloons in a net up on the ceiling. There was also a stage for the DJ, which had different colored spotlights flashing about.

Rhonda sighed and mumbled something about wishing Blondie hadn't returned. She searched her mind for ways to get back at her. She remembered that six years ago, she had found a piece of paper with a poem on it. It had been a love poem to Arnold, signed by none other than the person Rhonda had been plotting revenge against. An evil sneer crossed the brunette's facial features, turning the teen beauty into a witch.

"SHE'S HERE!" Someone yelled from across the gym. Everyone started scrambling for the doors, shoving Rhonda along with them, but not breaking her concentration. _I'll make Pataki wish she **never** came back!_

* * *

As Arnold escorted Helga down the school's dark halls and to the gym, he replayed Gerald's advice on how to tell her in his mind. They stopped just outside the big double doors that led into the gym. "Helga, I-there's something I have to tell you." He told her, stumbling over his words like a toddler taking his first steps. "I . . .I . . . I lo-"

"WELCOME BACK HELGA!"

Arnold and Helga snapped their heads to the now open doors. They saw Lila squeeze through the huge crowd and pop out with a huge, perky smile upon her face. "Helga!" She greeted the former bully as she pulled Helga into a quick hug. Helga cringed at Lila's "Touchy-ness", but let it go. "Come on in guys," Lila urged the two blondes. "The party's no party if you're not in there!" She dragged the two in with such force, they almost fell to the gym floor that had so suddenly appeared beneath them.

Once they were out of the crowd, they put forth an effort to take in their surroundings. Both teens were in awe over the whole place. Helga was in even more shock in wonder as she couldn't get over the fact that Lila remembered her favorite color was pink. Heck, she was shocked Lila even _knew_ that.

* * *

Lila watched from a corner as the two awe-struck teens checked the whole school gymnasium out. Seemingly out of nowhere, she smiled mischievously and ran up to the DJ's stand. She jumped up on stage and whispered something in the man's ear. He nodded, grabbed a large CD holder and started flipping through it. _This will be a night Helga will never forget. _She thought proudly, beaming.

Little did she know, that Rhonda had plans of her own . . .

* * *

To be continued . . . . 


End file.
